Machine for lock-joining tubes.



H. WiLSIE.

MACHINE FOR LOCK JOINING TUBES.

APPLICATlON FILED AUG/2D. 19%5.

Patented July 11, 1916.

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WM we or) 7 4):(6 4? widow UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY WILSIE, F BROOKLYN NEW YORK. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO M. J. FORD,OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR LOCK-JOINING TUBES.

Specification 0f Letters Patent. Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed August 20, 1915. Serial No. 46,413.

To a it-()7)? it may con cm! Be it known that l, llARltY \Vinsin, acitizen of the l'n-ited States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York. have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Lock-Joining Tubes, of which the followingis a speeilication, reference being bad therein to the accompanyingdrawing.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for forming sheetmetal tubes, and more specifically to apparatus for simultaneouslyshaping to the tube form a sheet metal blank and interlocking the edgesof the tube to provide a lock joint of water, ah and oil-tight characterand permitting the tube to be. bent within reasonable limits withoutinjury to the lock joint.

The invention primarily contemplates the provision of a machine of thetype above designated, adapted to perform its expected functions by.adrawing action of the sheet metal therethrough.

Improved details in construction and arrangement of parts will beapparent from the specific description hereinafter contained, when read.in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof andwherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated for thesake. of imparting a full and clear understanding of the latter.

In the drawings: Figure I is a side eleva tion of the machine: Fig. 3 isa transverse sectional view through the initial joint bcnding rolls:Figs. 3, l, 5 and (3 are transverse. sectional views showing thc variousedge interlocking means; and Figs. 7 and H are end views. respectively,showing the tubeblank in U-form, andwith its edges ovcP lapped.

Referring more spccilically to the drawings wherein like referencecharacters des ignate corresponding parts in the several views, Arepresents a supporting table or bench adjacent to one end of which, andarranged in alinement, are three supports, ll, and l), arranged in theorder designated, aml lirmly anchored to the. lloor or its equivalent.as by boltsflb, r: and (l.

On the support ll, l rotatably mount, through the medium of a spool E,the roll of sheet metal F of any size desired, having itls feed cndcarried outwardly, as at (l, 55 through a suitable guide ll, formed atthe upper end of the support (l, said sheet being delivered from theguide between an nitial pair of forming rolls I, l, the 'fOl'll'lO.(upper) being axially convexedon its periphery, and the latter (lower)being axially eoncaved on its periphery. to the. end that the rolls inthe passage of the sheet therethrough, will bend the same into atroughlike formation. having its base rounded on the arc of a circle, inkeeping with the predetermined configuration of the ultimate tube. I

Mounted for a freedom of movement. or self-adjustment. so to speak. uponthe face, of the tabl or work bench is a two-part carrier, J, .l. ofrectangular formation to rest properly on the table or bench, the samebeing'limitcd in its longitudinal movement by stops j. on the table.'lhesc stops one located intermediate of the carrier members .I. J, andthe other at the discharging end of the device. are secured to'thework-bench the former stop being merely a block, whereas the latter isan upright, apertured as shown for the reception of the end of the diesupport l\'. when thc machine is opcrating and the dcvicc is pulled tothe right as illustrated in Fig. l.

Extending through both carrier members .l. .l' is a die support l\'. thesame being ol" a slotted cylimlrical nature. having its inner end hungupon a bracket li. bolted at l. to the top of the arrier member .l. andhaving a centering screw engaging the cml of the die support. 'lhecarrier member 'l. surrounding the die support K. is formed with alongitmlinally disposed inwardly tapering opmiing M. capable ofreceiving the trough or U-shapcd shcct ol metal from the rolls l, l. andby the cooperation of the members .l. l\'. bending the U-l'ormation intoa cylindrical formation with the edges of the. sheet overlapping. aswill be obvious.

The carrier members .l. J are bridged, as at N, by a bracket whichsupports intermediate of said mclnbcrs. a suitable guide roller 0.beneath which the tubular sheet is passed and by which it. is guided tothe joint or seam-forming dies. now to be. dclincd, the. roller being ofperipheral formation to overlie. the overlapped edges of the tube andmaintain the same in proper position on the. member K for presentationof the overlapped edges to the die nmmliers.

That portion of the support K which passes through the carrier member Jis formed in its upper surface with a way or groove l, the inner end of'wliicli, being that end first encountered by the tube,- as it is drawnthrouglr the machine, having, a die Q in the face of which is a slothaving an approximately semi-circular wall for initially bendinginwardly into correspondingly curved formation the overlapped edges ofthe tubular sheet, a ribbed rotatable inale die R, cooperatimgv withthe. female die just referred to. From this point in the operation ofthe machinethe tube is drawn to the succeeding die S, fixed. in thegroove of the die supporting member, the recess or groove of thisparticular die having parallel side walls and rounded bottom adapted'topress together, or close to some extent, the U-shaped joint formed bythe dies Q, and R. The cooperating die member inthis instance isrepresented ,atS. The succeeding die, also fixed in the supportingmember K, is represented at T, and its cooperating member at T, the dieT, in this case, being formed with one straight side wall and aninclined base wall adapted to turn to one side of the longitudinalcenter ofthe tube a: d further close the interlocking joint. II'Oni thedie T the tube is drawn to the next die U, which also has one straightwall and an inclined base wall so related, howand bottom walls and beingof quite shallow depth to cooperate with-its complemental die member Vto finally press the lock j oint' against the body of the tube. The lockjoint thus formed is well ada ted to prevent leakage of any kind thererom, and to perform its other expected functions. The.

various die members S, T, U and V are held in position onthe die supportK in any suitable manner and the whole of the lock joint forming meansis freely mounted on the bench, as heretofore indicated, to ermit thesame to adjust itself to conditions by slight lateral or longitudinalmpvements to avoid friction, etc. The initial die roller R is held inproper relation to the cooperating die Q by means of a slab or coverpiece 1V, bolted as at w, to the body of the mem ber J, springs w beinginterposed therebetween to hold the roller R elevated to present theproper space between the same and the die Q to accommodate the thicknessof the sheet metal at the overlappedportion thereof immediately adjacentto said roller.

When starting the operation of the nia chine, the sheet metal isprovided with a narrow tongue which is passed entirely will need butlittle repair, and an arrange ment of die members in afimariner enablingtheir removal from the supports or parts to which they are connected forthe purpose of repair, substitution or renewal, as occasion may demand.

\Vhile I have herein disclosed one specific embodiment of the invention,it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the invention iscapable of embodiment in other forms and devices without departing fromthe spirit thereof and as may be in keeping with the hereto appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

i. In a machine for lock joining tubes, the combination with means forbending a sheet into tubular formation with overlapping edges, of meansfor bending said overlapped edges into U-formation to constitute'ajoint, outside die members, a grooved die carrier adapted to occupy a)osition within the tube, and axially alinei successively acting diemembers occupying relatively fixed positions in said groove, some ofwhich have a straight side wall and inclined base wall to close thejoint and to upset the same from a vertical to an approximatelyhorizontal position, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for lock joining tubes, the combination with means forbending a sheet into tubular formation with overlapping edges, of meansfor bending said overlapped vedges into Uformation to constitute ajoint,

outside die members, a grooved die carrier adapted to occupy a positionwithin the tube, and axially alined successively acting die membersoccupying relatively fixed positions in said groove, some of which havea straight side wall and inclined base wall to close'tlie joint and toupset the same from A a vertical to an approximately horizontalpositiompsaid dies with theinclined base walls decreasing in de th andthe final die being straight and a apted toeffectually close the jointand cause the same to lie approximately in the plane of the wallof thetube, substantially 'as described.

3. In a machine of the character described, a die support, a depressingmember at one end of the same for closing the tube with overlappededges, a guide roller adapted to engage said overlapped edges tomaintain them in proper position for presentation to die members, and apreliminary die for initially depressing said overlapped edges incombination with a succession of dies mounted in the die support adaptedto operate interiorly of the tube on the overlapped edges thereof, andromplemental die members arranged to operate exteriorly of the tube,substantially as described.

4. In amarhine of the character described,

means for forming a sheet into trough.

formation, means for closing the trough formation into a tube withoverlapped edges, n'ieans for depressing the overlapped edges into acurved interlocked relation, means for closing the depressed portioninto a n'iore definite rib with straight sides, means for deflecting therib laterally, means for further laying the rib toward the wall of thetube, and means for finally con'ipressing the walls of the rib togetherinflat condition, substantially in the plane of the wall of the tube,substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the character described, means for forming a sheetinto trough formation, means for closing the trough for-- mation into atube with overlapped edges, means for depressing the overlapped edgesinto a curved interlocked relation, means for closing the depressedportion into a more definite rib with straight sides, means fordeflecting the rib laterally, means for further laying the rib towardthe wall of the tube, and means for finally compressing the walls of therib together in flat condition substantially in the plane of the wall ofthe tube, in combination with a guide roller for engaging the overlappededges of the tube as it eaves the tube closing mechanism and beforepresentation to the die members.

6. In a machine of the character described, means for forming a sheetinto trough formation, means for closing the trough formation into atube with overlapped edges, means for depressing the overlapped edgesinto a curved interlocked relation, means for closing the depressedportion into a more definite rib with straight sides, means fordeflecting the rib laterally, means for further laying the rib towardthe wall of the tube, and means for finally compressing the walls of therib together in flat cohdltion substantially in the plane of the'wall ofthe tube. in combination with a guide roller for engaging the overlappededges of the tube as itleares the tube closing mechanism and beforepresentation to the die members, the initial means for depiessing theoverlapped edges of the tube to form the curved interlock including aroller die adapted to cooperate with a complemental die, substarb tiallyas described.

7. In a machine of the character described, means for forming a sheetinto tube formation with overlapped edge portions, means for depressingthe overlapped edge portions into a relatively open interlockedrelation, means for closing the depressed portion of the tube into amore definite rib with straight sides, means for deflectin and layingthe rib toward the wall of the tube, and means for pressing the rib in aflat condition against the wall substantially as described. p

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

' HARRY WILSIE.

'itnesses:

JonN MULLINS, Jenn F. CALLAGHAN.

of the tube,

